History, another topic I understand.
Liz gave us the historical context for where we were digging based on archaeological remains found at Tel Lachosh and the region.
In 925 BC Israel is to the north, and Judah to the south/
In 721 BC the Assyrian king conquers Israel. This is part of the missing years we have not discovered at Tel Keisan.
Jerusalem, the capital of the south, has a population of 25,000 people (less than modern day Lawrenceville, NJ). Urban centers had about 1,000 people at the time. Villages had between 50 and 300 people.
The lifespan for women, if they made it past age 4, was 20-30 years. Men lived closer to 40 years because they did not die in childbirth (duh). The average family size was two to three surviving children. Infant mortality was 50%, which sounds scary until you realize worldwide it is 49.4%.
A typical house had a courtyard with animals on the first floor, which were kept inside to stay safe. On the second story they kept storage jars and slept. Most homes had a roof. The homes were small.
People ate sheep, goats, fish, birds, insects, grains (wheat, barley, millet), vegetables (lentil, peas, beans, root vegetables), fruits (olives, grapes, pomegranate), nuts, seeds, dairy, and liquid.
Women's work included food prep, grinding stones, they had three ovens, women would gather together to grind and gossip. It would take 100 hours to spin enough wool to create one item.
Men were farmers, administrators, soldiers, herders, and merchants.
The economy was market to exchange things. They all had to pay money to the king. The market was located between the inner and outer gates.
They had a proto-Canaanite alphabet.
Life was based on the agrarian calendar.
They had religious beliefs and practices and holy times (new moon, Passover, Shavout, Sukkot). There were multiple temples where they learned the stories of their ancestors.
There is also evidence they had musical instruments.
Only the wealthy had tombs. Many dead people are unaccounted for. My last note is "mass graves were for the losers." I suspect Liz phrased that in a more politically correct way.
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